Choosing your perfect tour type.We offer just about every type of adventure imaginable. Explore with other likeminded travellers on our organised group tours, alternatively try a private departure or talk to our tailormade team if you want more flexibility.

Explore the world with your family.Our Explore family adventure holidays are designed for families looking for a fun and memorable holiday, allowing you to explore exotic and unique destinations, with all of the logistics taken care of.

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Welcome to Explore - The Adventure Travel Experts.Explore has been running small group responsible adventures for nearly 35 years so you can be confident that you are in safe hands. Browse to find out more about Explore, our staff, tour leaders and values.

Tour notes

Each departure date has it's own dedicated tour note, detailing all you need to know about that tour. Whether you've already booked, or weighing up your options, please choose carefully the relevant itinerary for you.

We have the following different versions of the Family Cruising the Turquoise Coast tour available at present.

Mehmet was a brilliant guide, friendly, knowledgeable, inclusive and added a great deal to the holiday.

5Peter Crane (Explore Staff),
27/03/14

What was the highlight or most memorable moment of your tour?

There were so many highlights: early morning swims from the gulet, scrambling up Saklikent Canyon, sea-kayaking to Simena and climbing to the castle, the mudbath, snorkelling every day, a fresh fish bbq dinner, the food generally, the sunsets...

Firat, along with all the gulet crew, made our holiday exceptional: nothing was too much trouble for them and they interacted brilliantly with the kids - showing them how to play backgammon, catch fish, do card tricks, dance turkish-style, spot dolphins and even turtles. They really helped our group to gel - to the point where no-one wanted the week to end!

What Tips Would You Give To Someone Else Booking This Tour

Every day there's a good combination of activity and relaxation, so prepare to make the most of both. Bringing your own snorkel gear is a good idea, also water-games and games for playing onboard. Electronics can be charged for at least a couple of hours each day. Pack waterproof sunscreen, sunhats and rash vests to protect against sunburn, also old trainers or cheap wetsuit shoes for scrambling up canyons, kayaking or swimming to shore. Also earplugs if you're a light sleeper.

Do You Have Anything Else To Add

Most of our group slept up on deck, which we thought was more comfortable as the non-airconditoned cabins get hot in August. The kids loved falling asleep under the stars and waking to the cool early morning light.

4.5,
23/12/13

Name

Megan Crane

Tour Name

Blue Cruise

Tour Code

FCE

What Was The Highlight Or Most Memorable Moment Of Your Tour

My most memorable highlight of the tour was jumping off the side of the boat with all the rest of the kids and the boat crew! Although the incredible food on the boat, freshly cooked every evening, and the trek up the Saklikent gorge with its crystal blue water, beautifully cool in the burning sun, were amazing experiences as well!

Tour Leader Name

Firat

How Was Your Explore Tour Leader

Firat was extremely friendly. As well as being extremely organised and knowledgeable, he was great fun as well, especially when he dived in off the side of the boat with us or challenged us to a game of Turkish backgammon (where he had a bit of an unfair advantage I think!...)

What Tips Would You Give To Someone Else Booking This Tour

BOOK NOW TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT! Bring suncream and lots of swimming gear, including snorkels and masks (if you don't like sharing!) and also an old swimming costume for the Turkish mud bath. Old trainers for walking up the canyon are very useful as well, much better, and cheaper, than the ones you can hire at the gorge itself.

0LTM,
27/10/11

Sea, sleeping on deck, other families all fabulous. (FCE -1st August 2011)

0Claire Wakelin (Explore Staff),
31/08/11

My family and I had a fantastic time on the FCE Blue Cruise. What more could you ask for blue skies, clear water, fantastic scenery and fun, fun, fun on the gulet.
We headed off in the gulet from Fethiye and stopped at city ruins in Caunus. The children loved exploring and enjoyed a drink in the shade after too.
One memory that will stick with all the family is when the boat moored up at Gemilar Island. We climbed to the top of the ruins and watched the sunset. It was beautiful.
The children loved spending time on the boat, watching the crew, swimming in the sea, looking out to sea and looking for the next town along the coast. They also enjoyed eating the fabulous food prepared by the on board chef. It was amazing what fantastic meals could be created in such a small kitchen. The food was a huge hit with all the families on board. Great value too as nearly all food was included in the price.
Each night we slept on deck. You had the option to sleep in your private cabin or on deck. We decided to go for the adventure of sleeping under the stars.
Visiting Simena Castle was great fun. The children loved meeting the locals. Our captain’s family lived in Simena and we got to meet them. We felt very privileged.
This trip comes highly recommended from all the family, one to remember!

0Trevor Saxty (Explore North America Staff),
31/08/11

An excellent itinerary, a great tour leader, a super cook, and some remarkably good travelling companions meant a good time was had by all, from teenagers to parents. Be as lazy or active as you like but you probably won’t read as many books as you think as there’s so much to see and do.(FCE - 8th August 2011)

0Sarah Stephenson,
15/08/11

An extremely relaxing trip, with a good variety of excursions away from the boat as well as plenty of time to relax, swim and bond with the group! The highlights were watching Leatherhead Turtles circle our river boat and scrambling through water up the beautiful Saklikent Gorge. The food was excellent and the crew added to our enjoyment of the trip. We went on a teenage only departure - if you have teenagers, we would recommend this: they had a fantastic time as they were all of a similar age. ( FCE - 1st August 2011)

0Andrew D,
29/12/10

Very different from a land based holiday. Strong points: the gulet experience is very memorable, fantastic archeology, lots of swimming and snorkelling, some good excursions, excellent food, very good guide and crew. Itinerary is mostly accurate, but expect to sleep on deck. Don't expect a cruise liner. Several overnights are in harbour, not in quiet remote coves. There are good showers at Kalkan and Kas harbours. You are on a boat most of the time, so don't expect lots of contact with Turkish culture. A very successful holiday for our family, thanks. (FCE- 2nd August 2010)